BORDERLAND

Judge rescinds order in Toledo church dust-up

7/6/2013

After previously ordering a Toledo church to create a committee to draft bylaws on a procedure to remove a pastor, a Lucas County judge has rescinded that order.

Common Pleas Judge James Bates recently dismissed the case filed by Southern Missionary Baptist Church. John Borell, an assistant Lucas County prosecutor, said the judge determined he lacked the legal authority to intervene in the church dispute in such a way.

Two factions had developed at the Indiana Avenue church over the removal or retention of the Rev. Lemuel A. Quinn as pastor.

While the judge properly found that the group of church members who voted to oust the pastor was not the correct body to make that decision, the church claimed last month in a complaint filed with Ohio’s 6th District Court of Appeals, Judge Bates did not have the right to order it to create a committee to draft a bylaw governing pastors’ removal.

Mr. Borell said the judge’s order to dismiss the case essentially renders the appellate matter moot.